Fear of failure or atychiphobia, as it is scientifically called, can be a symptom of a mood disorder, anxiety disorder, eating disorder or perfectionism and can significantly affect our quality of life. It can create obstacles and prevent us from progress, and evolution.
Really, have we thought if we are afraid of failure or the negative consequences that follow? Was it a traumatic event that we experienced or an experience that we evaluated as tragic, that we translated into failure and later we avoided them in case we experience unpleasant feelings again?
What are the causes?
The causes of fear of failure are multifactorial such as:
• Unhealthy relationships. Critical parents or unsupportive adults who systematically undermine or humiliate a child so that he or she feels inadequate in adulthood. Also, toxic friends or companions that destroy our self-confidence.
• Perfectionism and self-sabotage. The desire to be considered perfect so that we can avoid or constantly postpone exposure and anything we think might damage our image.
• Dealing with the familiar. We deal only with what we believe will surely be completed “perfectly” and successfully so that we do not experience any discomfort.
Managing the Fear of Failure
Perhaps the most important thing to understand is that at some point we will all fail at something in our lives. Success has no recipe and it is not always possible. But through failure we learn, we try again and in the end we become strong.
So what can we do?
• Evaluate all possible possibilities. How? With logical and real arguments. This way, we will be ready to face the situation with realism and deal with it. Using logic we can understand that many parameters of a goal depend not only on us but also on the time we choose to achieve it.
• Practicing positive thinking. With positive thinking we strengthen our self-confidence and reduce self-sabotage. Get in the habit of using positive words that evoke emotions and images of strength, joy and success, such as “I can” and “it is possible”. Match with people who think positively. Engage in physical activity, walk or swim. It will help you develop a more positive attitude. Also, the worst case scenario, sometimes reality may not be so bad and recognizing it helps to deal with the fear.
• Set small, achievable goals and implement them step by step. Assigning “small” goals is more effective than a single, large goal, as the fear of failure prevents the “step-by-step” technique from achieving it. Focusing on the final target (the big picture) prevents from concentrating on each step towards the final target. Achieving the small individual goals helps to build self-confidence and consequently to mobilize the realization of the final goal.
If the fear of failure immobilizes you and prevents you from doing things that once pleased you, then it is important to talk to your doctor or a mental health professional because it may be a sign of depression.
